Milford historians document hidden gems

With video camera in hand, retired real estate agent Jerry Patton rushed out to the former Milford Academy recently to film the campus, because the city was preparing to demolish buildings.

Pamela McLoughlin

Published
12:00 am EST, Sunday, November 16, 2003

Meeting with the founders son, who spent his career at the school, and filming graduates reminiscences, however, can wait till later this month.

This week, he and his camera also toured Ryder Mobile Home Park with its founder. Before the tract is turned into a retail center, he wants to capture the scene at what may be the states oldest such park.

And Pattons not wasting any time catching his best human sources  people such as Merwin Williams, 91, who was involved in local politics when Milford made national history in late 1959 by electing write-in candidate Charles R. Iovino as mayor in a city that had a voting machine. The news was featured in Time and Life magazines.

Iovino, the citys first mayor after they switched from a town manager system, was part of the historic Milford Independent Party, another video subject for Patton.

"Id like to get the data down  its like a race," Patton said. "And when youre dealing with people 90 to 100 years old, its a race."

The data he refers to is all part of a Milford Rotary video project called "Milford Memories." Patton and businessman Deforest "Frosty" Smith, chairman of the project, expect to be filming for many years to come to create an archive of the city they love. Patton predicts they could wind up with as many as 100 unedited DVDs. Editing will be up to future Rotarians, if they so choose.

The citys early history is well chronicled, but Patton and Smith are concerned that many current landmarks are being overlooked.

"Its people 25, 50, 100 years from now who are going to be fascinated," Patton said. "Wed be thrilled to see the daily life of people 100 years ago."

The concept of recording Milfords milestones in one form or another has been kicking around in the heads of both men for decades. Its one of those things that got pushed aside for busy careers and rearing families.

"Im sad that I didnt get off my butt 30 years ago," Smith said. "There are so many people no longer here that I would have filmed."

Among them, Smith said, are Dr. Helen Langner, a psychiatrist who died at 105, and members of the founding Platt family.

Although Patton has only been filming for a couple of months, via a digital camera donated by Jim Wilson of Milford Photo, Smith has been videotaping on and off for a few years.

He is pleased that he and Patton have recorded some folks who have since passed on. They include his dad, "Pink" Smith, a lifelong resident and direct descendent of Milfords founders, who died at 92; John Gunther, who died in 2000 at 86; and former Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Foran, who died in 2002 at age 95.

Smith also has footage of older folks who are still around to talk about their days attending a one-room schoolhouse in the city.

Smiths recordings are mainly of people reminiscing. Pattons style is to film places as the people connected with those places tell the stories.

"Jerry has taken it to a new level," Smith said. When he completes a shoot, Patton has a showing at his home for those featured. Among subjects he plans to immortalize are: the story of the harbor; early politics; downtown businesses that have existed for most of the 1900s; the former Milford Citizen newspaper, first published in 1894; notable landmarks, churches, interesting social organizations and much more. Hes doing a spot on The Milford Club, one of the oldest mens clubs in the nation.

"We have so many old, established entities  people, places and buildings," Patton said.

City Clerk Alan Jepson isnt quite ready to enter the starting gate in the race Patton talks about, but at 77, his presence to talk on many of the subjects is valuable to the project. Jepson, a Rotary member, was elected mayor in 1963 and has held a variety of city positions. He and his wife, Betty, moved here in 1953.

"There are so many valuable things in any society that dont get recorded," Jepson said. "Its an important historical document for perpetuity."

Jepson said he wishes his predecessor, longtime City Clerk Margaret Egan, was still alive to share her wealth of knowledge on city history. Jepson said his own memory has been sparked by the project.

Its not yet known how the exclusive collection will be made available for viewing or whether it will someday be used as a fund-raiser for Rotary, a civic organization whose motto is "service above self." The footage may just stay on a shelf and wait for the future, organizers said.